A NEW award to recognise outstanding students studying woodland management in Gwent was launched.

Coleg Gwent’s Usk campus is among the first to launch the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) silky handsaws awards to outstanding students on vocational forestry courses.

The award recognises the increasing value of diploma courses in forestry and arboriculture providing essential skills to open doors into careers.

The winner will receive a pruning saw and a year’s membership of the RFS.

Its education officer, Debbie Cotton said: “As an education charity promoting the wise management of trees and woods, the RFS is delighted to recognise the excellent work of colleges up and down the country and to give recognition to students who have gone the extra mile in their learning.”